Bacchanalian Picnic

11 – 26 May

Delicate and brutal, this series of costume orientated drawings by emerging illustrator/designers Cherish Marrington and Lance Kershaw Ladu reflects on the stylised flavour of classical depravation found in the turn of the century’s Decadent movement. The creatures and characters in this exhibition are a romantic yearning that has turned sour, representing grotesque realities usually hidden from polite eyes. From out of this veritable manger of lust-worthy delights, this bacchanalian picnic in heavenly pastures, these daydreamed visions and imagined exchanges are manifested now in pen and ink, fixed on paper.










Opening Friday 10 May, 6 – 8pm
Gallery opening hours 11 – 5pm
Tuesday – Sunday


Hold Your Silence | Ross Hamilton Frew with Alan Stanners


10 – 23 March, 2013

Ross Hamilton Frew is a Glasgow based artist working predominantly with
drawing. In Hold Your Silence, Frew presents a selection of new drawings
exploring the harmonic relationship between the page and its content, as
well as the use of geometry and line as a substitute for language. Having
developed a framework for creating a continuing body of work set within
self imposed parameters, he uses this framework as the starting point for
all of his drawings. By working continually within these parameters, Frew
is able to dissect what appears at first glance to be a series of predictable
patterns, but after closer inspection these works as a whole reveal
themselves to be a series of abstracted formulations concealed under a
complex process of elimination and selection.

Two paintings by fellow UK artist Alan Stanners will accompany Frew’s
drawings, creating a conversation surrounding the two artists’ differing
processes. Stanners puts forward this quote from a talk given by Harold
Pinter at the national student drama festival in Bristol in 1962 as a
reappropriated insight into his own practice.

I am not a theorist. I’m not an authoritative or reliable commentator on the
dramatic scene, any scene. I write plays, when I can manage it, and that’s
all. That’s the sum of it. So I’m speaking with some reluctance, knowing
that there are at least twenty-four possible aspects of any single statement,
depending on where you’re standing at the time or on what the weather’s
like. A categorical statement, I find, will never stay where it is and be finite.
It will immediately be subject to modification by the other twenty-three
possibilities of it. No statement I make, therefore, should be interpreted as
final and definitive. One or two of them may sound final and definitive, they
may even be almost final and definitive, but I won’t regard them as such
tomorrow, and I wouldn’t like you to do so today.

It is the reference to these multiple possibilities mentioned in the text
that Frew relates to in Stanners’ work. The more apparent fluidity and
spontaneity of Stanners’ painting alludes to regimented hints of Frew’s
cloaked decision-making process.

OPENING: Sat 9 March | 6pm – 8pm
EXHIBITION: 10 – 23 March | 11am – 5pm | Tues – Sun (Closed
Mondays)


I MAY LIVE ON AS A GHOST | ALEX MACIVER

9 – 24 February, 2013

As a part of FRINGE WORLD Perth, Paper Mountain presents UK artist Alex Maciver’s first solo exhibition in Australia.

With energetic neon squiggles, gestural lines and bright planes of paint, Maciver’s work occupies a space between representation and abstraction. Like a riddle, these seductive forms and textures hint at narrative, with each work suggesting intricate invention and the possibility of illusion. The gathering of artworks in the gallery space evokes a dialogue between threads of Maciver’s past encounters and sparks of immediate response. The installation looks as though something has just happened, just the moment before you entered the space. In this sense, the artist sees the exhibition as a form of stage performance.

Maciver explains: ‘I aim to construct a series of situations for the viewer to experience as well as building on the sculptural elements my recent work has included. I aim to question the role of the gallery and its interference in the completion of an artist’s work. It has been historically noted that an artwork is only art once it has been exhibited, I aim to challenge this.’

Alex Maciver graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone Art College, Dundee UK in 2007, and is an advocate of artist run initiatives (ARI) having previously been on the committee of GENERATOR Projects (Scotland’s leading ARI) and Co-Curated 2010 SafARI arts, to coincide with the 2010 Sydney Biennial. Maciver has recently returned from a residency and exhibition at Crate 59, QLD and is to undertake a studio residency at Fremantle Arts Centre in 2013. Maciver is currently based in Perth, Western Australia.






Top Left Image: Alex Maciver, I MAY LIVE ON AS A GHOST, 2012 (detail). Mixed media collage, image courtesy the artist.

Gallery Images: Alex Maciver, I MAY LIVE ON AS A GHOST, 2013 (installation shots). Paper Mountain, Perth. Images courtesy Paper Mountain and the artist.


Rose Skinner: TOY SHOW

21 – 23 December, 2012

Doomsday is upon us. As the end of the Mayan calendar draws near, Perth based installation artist Rose Skinner reflects upon a post apocalyptic world through the eyes of our small beloved friends. The friends who sit upon our shelves, under our beds or within our boxes marked “childhood”. The mute secret-keeping creatures of comfort – our adventure companions and accomplices in mischief, the humble yet ever faithful toy.

TOY SHOW is a small but epic battle of good vs evil, featuring apocalyptic assemblages and interactive dreamscapes infused with curious creatures and delectable forms.

A showcase of Skinner’s current body of work, TOY SHOW includes pieces selected from her latest exhibitions in London and New Jersey. Toys, prints and illustrations are available for purchase. New and established collectors are encouraged to attend with prices starting from $40.



Exhibition Opening: Friday 21 December, 6pm
Exhibition Dates: 22 – 23 December, 2012
Opening Hours: 12am – 6pm


Danni McGrath: Suzume

10 – 16 December, 2012

Suzume is the Japanese word for sparrow. These small brown birds, common in Japan, move in quick, short bursts, jumping and flitting from place to place. Danni McGrath’s drawings are small, multicoloured and lead your eyes in quick, short jumps around the page. For McGrath, the drawing process is similar to the outcome; skittish and flighty. Thoughts, ideas and decisions jump quickly:


“Which colour next? What shape fits here? A connection to that bit? No, not there. Maybe. Yes, no, over here…”


Suzume is an exhibition presenting the results of McGrath’s investigation into this drawing practice in a range of media, part of an ongoing inquiry into artistic process; how art gets made. The exhibition features drawing, print, small sculpture and textile works, along with a large scale wall work that will be completed over the course of the show.




Opening Party: Sunday 9 December, 2 – 4pm
Afternoon tea provided


Exhibition: 10 – 16 December
Gallery Hours: 12 – 6pm daily


Emma Kroeger: Elegy to The Mississippi

29 November – 3 December, 2012

Elegy to the Mississippi is a collection of photographs, poetry and short writing by Emma Kroeger.
The ‘Great American Dream’ of the 20th century which brought hope to the greatest middle class in history has, over the past few decades, given way to reality. Along the mighty Mississippi lie the great ol’ towns that gave birth to this dream of prosperity – small farming towns which saw through the abolition of slavery, the crippling Great Depression and the rise and fall of jazz. And now they stand, sparse beacons to a dream held just too far out of reach, scattered and clinging to the riverbanks.

Elegy to The Mississippi is an exploration of the lost American Dream – the dream of what was and what could have been.









Exhibition Launch: Thursday 29 November, 7pm
Artist talk / reading: 7.30pm
++ Free entry
++ Drinks Available


Exhibition: 29 November – 3 December
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm daily


Odd Anderson: Results of a pointless endeavour

2 – 3 November, 2012

Results of a pointless endeavour, a solo exhibition by Perth sculptor Odd Anderson, presents a series of visual explorations into Chaos Theory and Emergence. Disagreeing with reductionism, these works are the result of semi-successful experiment and a reflection on how complexity may arise from a multiplicity of simple actions.

Anderson’s practice explores the way in which humans discover, quantify and define their universe. Currently focused on the fields of mathematics and science, Odd has drawn from the scientific method in creating a variable drawing algorithm. The algorithm produces geometric results, which are then interpreted and realised in three dimensions. As with any scientific endeavour interpretations change as new data is collected, conclusions can always be amended.


k2CLOUD

7 – 16 November, 2012

K2CLOUD brings knitting and crochet into the 21st century through large scale sculpture. It is an interactive transforming installation, using only repurposed paper and plastic.

The installation, created by Elizabeth Marpole and Lex Randolph, begins with a White Opening. Using basic colourful materials, we are inviting the public to help transform the space into a brightly coloured room over 10 days. A disco will be held at the completion of the process to celebrate the transformation.

The title of our project references the visible formation of frozen water crystals in the atmosphere – a cloud.In much the same way as why skies are blue, clouds are white because their water crystals are large enough to scatter the light of the seven wavelengths (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet), which combine to produce white light. Our ‘cloud’ will begin white, and over the exhibition period will be transformed to reproduce all the colours of the light spectrum.










Opening Party: Wednesday 7 November, 6 – 9pm
Gallery Hours: 12 – 6pm daily
Closing Party: Friday 16 November, 6pm – late

 



LET’S GO, MAGIC WEIRDOS

25 – 28 October, 2012

Perth artist Sean Morris has assembled a selection of 23 of his contemporaries from around the world; to take part in one of the most exciting group shows held in Western Australia in recent years. “Let’s Go, Magic Weirdos” sets out to harness, cage and present to the city a collection of exciting new work unleashed by crazed and beating minds from across the globe.

While the work of the “Magic Weirdos” encompasses a range of artistic styles, each artist involved shares what Morris calls a “defiant, fearless approach to art making.” Regardless of physical location; together they inhabit a world where rules are made for breaking, and the paradox of conventional art is thrown out of the window.

Artists:
Stevie Gee (UK), Jon Boam (UK), James Unsworth (UK), Manuel Donada (Spain), John Malta (USA), Michael C. Hsiung (USA), Luke Pelletier (USA), Ambird (USA), Eric McHenry (USA), Mariana Moyses (Brazil), Sheryo (Singapore), Ican Harem (Indonesia), Ryan Ady Putra (Indonesia), Cammy Yo (Japan), The Yok (Australia), Ghostpatrol (Australia), Kyle Hughes-Odgers (Australia), Eveline Tarunadjaja (Australia), Mel Stringer (Australia), Evie Cahir (Australia), Calliope Bridge (Australia), Cheeks (Australia), Yohyo (Australia), & Sean Morris (Australia)


Opening Party: Thursday 25 October, 6pm
Gallery Hours
26 October: 11am – 6pm
27 October: 11am – 5pm
28 October: 12pm – 5pm



How to Talk With a Mountain

7 – 19 October, 2012

How to Talk with a Mountain explores ideas and myths surrounding mountains and the night sky. As a part of the AWESOME International Arts Festival For Bight Young Things, artists Sheridan Coleman, Benjamin Forster, Jessica Herrington (UK), Tony Nathan, Rebecca Orchard, Nien Schwarz, and Kate-Anna St Valentine, alongside an interactive installation by the Paper Mountain collective, seek to dig deeper into facets of geology, geography, cosmology and exploration.






Public Event
Indoor Star Gazing & Astronomy Talk
Wednesday 10 October, 7-8pm (BYO pillow and blanket!)



Ashleigh Whyte: HOME

27 September – 1 October

Home, a solo exhibition by Perth artist Ashleigh Whyte, explores the transient nature of space and loss of small histories through housing demolition. Whyte’s work reflects upon nostalgia and melancholia associated with renting and developing an attachment to a home, despite the knowledge that you will inevitably be forced to vacate.

Whyte’s practice explores the traces of the past and evidence of previous occupants, which remain in empty spaces. Whyte visits vacant blocks where suburban houses once stood, sifting through the dirt and collecting broken pieces of brick, tile, glass, plates and fixtures. Each of these objects is then meticulously drawn in biro on notepad paper, everyday note taking materials, used to record and preserve all that remains of the structure somebody once called home.


HAIR: An exhibition of fine art & taxidermy

15 – 20 September, 2012

Tessa Maloney and Sarana Haeata explore the curious and fascinating world of hair. Through an array of intriguing mediums, such as taxidermy, illustration, pelt preservation and installation, these young vibrant artists transform hair into living breathing creatures.






Kate Greenaway: CATCH A BREATH

6 – 10 September, 2012

An exhibition of hand cut confetti, specifically and painstakingly made for use in time of need.




Chloe Spiers-Atherden: LUNAR SOIL

1 – 6 August, 2012

Lunar Soil is an exploration of perception and the way it is colored, shaped and finely textured through the lens of personal mythology. Worldviews everywhere intersect, interbreed and are ultimately cultivated and renewed through human imagination, allowing us to perceive meaning on both the individual and cosmic scale. Lunar Soil is a small collection of inky symbols reflecting some of the stories, environments, creatures and ideas experienced in just one among an infinite array of evolving mythologies.




¤ BASIC ¤ MAGIC ¤

Tuesday, July 10th – July 15th 2012

A week-long exhibition curated and inhabited by the Basic Magic collective, dedicated to the evocation of warmth, stillness, contemplation, acceptance, colour and sound. Featuring intricate installations, paintings, drawings, sound-sculptures, plants, home-cooking, tea, musical performances, daily discussions, audience-instigated artworks, meditation, poetry, and unknown ideas which will be generated spontaneously throughout the week, the exhibition will be an experiment in the creative cultivation of space as a catalyst for positive interaction.




Minaxi May: Zakka ♥

25 June – 7 July
, 2012

‘Zakka’ is an eastern phenomenon. A Japanese word meaning ‘many things’ this trend is centred on objects that will improve your life. Specifically, Zakka objects are materialised in retro Japanese and Scandinavian styles, the kitsch, the cute and contemporary handicrafts. In this typically playful exhibition, Minaxi May explores the tenuous states of art, design and function through a series of small-scale sculptural works, with a colour palette inspired by 100’s & 1000’s candy. Zakka ♥ is a celebration of everyday materials, colour and a pop-readymade aesthetic.






INTO THE MOUNTAIN

May 27, 2012

Into the Mountain is a group exhibition of 30 current Paper Mountain studio artists’ work! The show includes works on paper and small sculptural pieces.

Participating artists:
Odd Anderson, Ashley Buck, Renae Coles, David Craft, Jorge Dorado, Isis Dorado, Anna Dunnill, Stu Evans, Marwa Fahmy, Stephen Genovese, Kate Greenaway, Amber Harries, Rachael Kuan, Cherish Marrington, Danni McGrath, Emily Midwood, Matthew Moore, Rebecca Orchard, Jenii Scott, Rose Skinner, Jess Sorci, Antoinette Stewart, Kate-Anna St Valentine, Joanna Sulkowski, Danika Thomson, Kiara Thomson, Zoe Thomson, Campbell Whyte & Ian Williams



Robbie Karmel: OBSTACLE

26 – 30 April, 2012

Obstacle is a continuation into a focused and ongoing exploration into the act of drawing. Robbie Karmel (ACT) engages with contemporary and historical drawing techniques and theories, exploring hand-mind-eye synchronicity—or lack thereof, and the fraught relationship between mark and representation.
 




The Conservatorium

Jan 27 – Feb 5, 2012

Paper Mountain officially opened in January 2012 with our first exhibition, The Conservatorium, as part of FRINGE WORLD Festival, Perth 2012. Curated by Anna Dunnill and Renae Coles, the show was made up of contributions from 78 invited artists, all of whom were given the brief that their work must be at least partially contained within a glass, plastic or ceramic jar. The Conservatorium was the winner of the Visual Art Award at the FRINGE WORLD awards!

Participating artists:
Abdul Abdullah, Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, David Attwood, Hayley Bahr, Linda Banazis, Tarsh Bates, Sebastian Befumo, James Berlyn, Jeremy Blank, Emily Boyd, Jacqueline Bradley, Perrina Bozanich, Claire Canham, Jacobus Capone, Janet Carter, Lily Chan, Olga Cironis, Sheridan Coleman, Renae Coles, Travis Cox, Clare Davies, Anneke de Rooij, Donovan de Souza, Melanie Diss, Isis Dorado, Jenna Downing, Anna Dunnill, Jackson Eaton, Sarah Elson, Stu Evans, Marwa Fahmy, Benjamin Forster, Grace Gamage & Olivia O’Donnell, Lisa Carrie Goldberg, Stephen Genovese, Miik Green, Amber Harries, Susan Hauri-Downing, Bettina Hill, Kiki Hunwick, Bronwen Kamasz, Robbie Karmel, Marijke Loosjes, Serena Lumley, Shannon Lyons, Nick Mahony, Elizabeth Marpole, Cherish Marrington, Minaxi May, Danni McGrath, Matthew Moore, Rebecca Orchard, Kelly Patchett, Nathan Peake, Mel Pearce, Amy Perejuan, Perdita Phillips, Gregory Pryor, Andrew Purvis, RHINOCEROS, Rizzy, Sarah Rowbottam, Alistair Rowe, Nien Schwarz, Jenii Scott, Sylvia Sippl, SPATULA, Alex Spremberg, Antoinette Stewart, Joanna Sulkowski, Erin Tily-Laurie, David Thomson, Kiara Thomson, Tissue Culture & Art Project, David Turley, Kate-Anna Williams, and Caitlin Yardley.